Method and apparatus for securing the ends of flexible band with a buckle

ABSTRACT

A method and apparatus are provided for making a buckle joint at the ends of a flexible strap that is wrapped around a round, irregularly shaped, or small object. The method may include loading the end of the strap in a buckle, inserting a rigid insert between a pair of legs of the buckle that prevents one side of the buckle from collapsing, tensioning a strap by a tensioning device and removing the rigid insert after the required tension is achieved. In one embodiment of the method, the rigid insert being pivotably mounted on the lever, which is pivotally mounted in the front of the tensioning apparatus. In an embodiment, the apparatus may be constructed so that there is a zone on the frame for pressing the frame against the buckle, cutting mechanism for cutting strap after tensioning and the windlass actuated by a tension handle.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to band tightening devices.

2. Description of the Prior Art

The subject matter discussed in the background section should not be assumed to be prior art merely as a result of its mention in the background section. Similarly, a problem and the understanding of the causes of a problem mentioned in the background section or associated with the subject matter of the background section should not be assumed to have been previously recognized in the prior art. The subject matter in the background section may merely represents different approaches, which in and of themselves may also be inventions.

The prior art includes several devices that utilize known methods of packaging material into relatively small bundles or the like. Some references representative of the prior art are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,112,543 to M. O. Derrickson; U.S. Pat. No. 3,623,190 to T. J. Karass; U.S. Pat. No. 6,553,632 to Anthony Michael Brumpton; U.S. application Ser. No. 12/767,679 to Gerardo Elia. These prior art devices teach a design such as that shown in FIGS. 1A-D. The device in FIG. 1A includes a frame 1, a cutting mechanism 2, a tightening mechanism 3, and a band holding mechanism 4 for holding band 6 while tightening buckle 7 (buckle 7 is also shown in FIG. 7). The device of FIG. 1A also has a handle 31, windlass 32, and gripper 41, and band 6 has a first end 61 and second end 62. Buckle 7 has ends 71 and 72, which in addition to being illustrated in FIG. 1A, are shown in FIGS. 1C and 1D, respectively.

To begin a banding cycle, the operator pushes down on a handle 31, which raises the gripper 41 and allows the user to insert the first end 61 of a band 6 between the gripper 41 and the frame 1. When the user releases the handle 31, the gripper 41 holds the first end 61 of the band 6 in place. During the tightening operation, the second end 62 of the band 6 is threaded through the cutting mechanism 2 and a windlass 32 of a tightening mechanism 3. The operator applies force to the handle 31 and tightens the band 6. During the usage of the tensioning device in FIG. 1A, frame 1 rests on a flat surface of the box around which the band is being tightened.

A strap is threaded through both sides of the buckle 7 as shown on FIGS. 1A, C, and D. Referring to FIG. 1C, legs 711 and 712 of the buckle 71 immediately collapse as a result of tension force P1, and after collapsing legs 711 and 712 firmly hold the end of band 63. The other end of the band 64 remains loose.

Referring to FIG. 1D, the second side of the buckle 72 functions differently than the side of illustrated in FIG. 1C. Under the tension force P2, tightening means 3 (FIG. 1A)—as a part of the tightening device—moves towards buckle 7 therefore reducing force P on the strap segment 61. In other words, when operating tensioning device, legs 721 and 722 of the buckle's side 72 extend and allow end of the band 62 to slide through the buckle facilitating required tensioning. As a result of usage of gripper 41, the length of band that lies between gripper 41 and windlass 31 gets shorter as the band is tightened. As the length of band between gripper 41 and windlass 31 is shortened, the tensioning device is pulled towards buckle 7, which, in turn, causes gripper 41 to pull on the band on the buckle's side 71, which, in turn, creates tension P1. As a result of gripper 41, both ends of buckle 7 close near enough in time to hold the buckle in place with band 6 taught.

The functioning of the buckle on small round objects is illustrated in FIGS. 2A and B. The side of the buckle 71 functions the same way as explained on FIG. 1C and is not shown in greater detail on FIGS. 2A and B. Since there is no flat segment that is long enough for ultimate contact between the surface of the object and bottom of the tool, it is not possible to thread the strap through gripper 41, as in FIG. 1A, because as a result of the round shape of the object, threading band 6 will introduce a significant amount of slack in band 6, which will not allow tensioning device to tighten band 7 tight enough so that band 7 will be taught after the tensioning device is removed. Although the end of the band 62 is loaded into the buckle the same way as shown on FIGS. 1A and C, in FIG. 2A-since the band is not gripped by gripper 41—the movement of the tensioning device towards buckle 7 does not result in the gripper pulling on the band on the buckle's side 71 as the tensioning device is pulled towards buckle 7, and consequently, there is less tension in the band on the buckle's side 71, in the FIG. 2A operation as compared to the operation in FIG. 1A. There are known devices with a rest 5, which that comes in contact with the buckle, preventing further movement of the tensioning device towards buckle 7, while tightening the band 6. In the prior art, the rest 5 is pressed against the buckle on the surface 51 and the end of the band 61, which lies on the object being wrapped by bend 6 and overlaps the portion of band 6 under the tension force P1.

Referring to FIG. 2B, the essential disadvantage of the method of the prior art is that tension forces P1 and P2 result in legs 721 and 722 closing tight and inhibiting (e.g., preventing) the further sliding of the end of the band 62 and the damaging strap's surface. Although as band 6 is tightened around the buckle's side 71, one may expect the tension to translate to side 72, legs 721 and 722 close even before tightening around legs 711 and 712, and such an effect makes it at least difficult, if not impossible, to achieve required strap tension and reliably secure the object. It is also known that such method requires increased diameter of the buckle wire for greater rigidity making the buckle more expensive.

SUMMARY

An embodiment of the present invention relates to a flexible strap tightening device with an improved buckle joint at the ends of a flexible strap overlapped about a round or any irregular shaped package. An embodiment of the present invention is the novel method and apparatus that facilitates tensioning of loaded in the buckle straps overlapped around round objects with greater tension than other known methods and devices.

In at least one embodiment of the present invention a banding device is provided in which a rigid insert is inserted between at least one pair of legs during the process of strap tightening. The legs of the buckle collapse and lock the tensioned strap after the ridged insert is removed.

In an embodiment, the method includes the loading of at least one end of the strap in a buckle, inserting a rigid insert between at least one pair of legs of the buckle that prevents one side of the buckle from collapsing, tensioning a strap by tensioning means and removal of the rigid insert after required tension is achieved. One embodiment of the method includes the rigid insert movingly situated on the lever pivotally positioned in the front of tensioning apparatus. The apparatus is constructed so that there is a zone on the frame for pressing the apparatus against the buckle. The pressing of the apparatus causes cutting mechanism for cutting the strap after tensioning and the windlass to be actuated by a tension handle.

As a result of keeping a second side of the buckle from collapsing prior to the first side of the buckle collapsing, and allowing the second side to collapse after the first side collapses, the user may achieve greater tensioning than is possible in prior art devices, using the same buckle and band. Similarly, while achieving better results, keeping a second side of the buckle from collapsing prior to the first side of the buckle collapsing, allows utilizing less expensive buckles made with smaller diameter of wire and/or narrower bands. There may be many objects and advantages of the present invention that will become apparent to those skilled in the art in view of the description of the best presently known mode of carrying out the invention as described herein and as illustrated in the drawings.

Any of the above embodiments may be used alone or together with one another in any combination. Inventions encompassed within this specification may also include embodiments that are only partially mentioned or alluded to or are not mentioned or alluded to at all in this brief summary or in the abstract.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the following drawings like reference numbers are used to refer to like elements. Although the following figures depict various examples of the invention, the invention is not limited to the examples depicted in the figures.

FIG. 1A shows securing (strapping over) an object containing a flat surface with a buckle holding strap tightened with a tensioning device according to the prior art.

FIG. 1B shows a perspective view of the buckle of FIG. 1A.

FIG. 1C shows the manner in which the band wraps around two of the legs at one of the buckle of FIGS. 1A and B and the tension that results while us the prior art tensioning device of FIG. 1A.

FIG. 1D shows the manner in which the band wraps around another two of the legs at another end of the buckle of FIGS. 1A and B, and the tension that results while using the prior art tensioning device of FIG. 1A.

FIG. 2A shows securing (strapping over) a round object with a buckle holding strap tightened with a tensioning device according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2B shows the manner in which the band wraps around another two of the legs at another end of the buckle of FIG. 2A, and the tension that results while using the prior art tensioning device of FIG. 1A or 2A on an object that is not rectangular.

FIG. 3 shows a front view and FIG. 4 shows a top view of a method of securing (strapping over) an object with a buckle holding a strap tightened with a tensioning device according to the according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 5 shows a front view of a method of securing (strapping over) an object with a buckle holding the strap tightened with a tensioning device according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 6 shows a front view of the apparatus, according to an embodiment of the invention, while tensioning strap on the round or small object.

FIG. 7 shows the apparatus, according to an embodiment of the invention, while securing a tensioned strap on the round or small object.

FIG. 8 shows an isometric view of the apparatus, according to an embodiment of the invention, for securing the ends of flexible strap with a buckle on round or small object.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Although various embodiments of the invention may have been motivated by various deficiencies with the prior art, which may be discussed or alluded to in one or more places in the specification, the embodiments of the invention do not necessarily address any of these deficiencies. In other words, different embodiments of the invention may address different deficiencies that may be discussed in the specification. Some embodiments may only partially address some deficiencies or just one deficiency that may be discussed in the specification, and some embodiments may not address any of these deficiencies.

In this specification the terms strap and band may be substituted for one another, where ever they occur to obtains new embodiments. The word band is to be understood as generic to straps.

Referring to FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 the method, according to an embodiment of the invention, may include following. Both ends of a band 61 and 63 may be loaded on the both sides 71 and 72 of the buckle 7, respectively, as in prior art. The rest 5 of the tightening devise may then be pressed on surface 51 (of rest 5) against the lower leg 722 of the buckle 7 as shown in FIG. 3 and described above. The rigid insert 52 may then be inserted before the beginning of the tensioning between at least one pair of legs (that is on the side that would otherwise tend to close first, for example on the side 72, of the buckle 7. The insert remains between legs 721 and 722 preventing legs 721 and 722 from collapsing and holding the strap segment 61 during the process of pulling the strap end 62. At the same time, the second pair of legs 711 and 712 becomes locked and holds the second strap end 64.

Referring to FIG. 5, next, rigid insert 52 is removed after the required tension is achieved and the legs 721 and 722 collapse under the influence of tension force P1, thereby securing the band 61. The free end of the strap can be cut off by the cutting mechanism 2 (FIG. 2) or another cutting mechanism. In the method illustrated by FIGS. 3-5 rigid insert 52 may be a separate device from the rest of the tensioning device so long as insert 52 has a level or handle that gives the user enough leverage to pull rigid insert 52 out from between legs 721 and 722 while being pressed together by the tension in band 6 (or may be attached to the tensioning device), and the tensioning device of FIG. 2 need not be used, but another tensioning device may be used instead. For example, the tensioning device need not have a cutting mechanism built into it. The mechanism may be separate device. Also, a crank could replace the lever of tensioning device, and/or the windlass may be replaced with a pair or rollers, a movable gripper, or another mechanism for pulling the band 6 towards the tensioning device.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents fall within the scope of the invention. Below an apparatus is described that is just one example of an apparatus that may be used for implementing the above method. Many other devices and systems may be used to implement the invention.

Referring to FIG. 6, pusher nose 8 may be constructed either as a stationary part of the frame 1 or as a stationary attachment to frame 1, for example. In an embodiment, installed on pusher nose 8, via pin 85, is lever 86. The rigid insert 82 is pivotally mounted, via pin 84, on the lever 86 and mechanically biased toward the pusher nose 8 by mechanical bias 83, which may be a spring. The designed tensioning apparatus of FIG. 6 functions as described below.

Band 6 may be wrapped around a round, small, or irregularly shaped object that does not have a surface for resting frame 1 that will allow use of a gripper. Two ends 61 and 63 of the band 6 are loaded in two sides 71 and 72 of the buckle 7. The strap end 64 remains free and the end 62 is loaded in the tensioning apparatus through slot 88 of the pusher nose 5, cutting mechanism 2 and windlass 32 of the tensioning mechanism 3 (FIG. 6). The windlass 32 may include a horizontal cylinder or barrel that is turned by handle 31, upon which a band 6 winds around, the outer end of band 6 leads directly to and wraps around one edge of buckle 7. Rigid insert 82 enters in the space between legs 721 and 722 of the side 72 of the buckle 7. The surface 81 is pressed against the leg 722 of the buckle 7.

The operator applies force to the handle 31 and tightens the band 62 which freely slides between legs 721 and 722. When required tension is achieved (for example, after legs 711 and 712 close tight holding band end 63 and 64 in place, the operator switches lever 86 in a position shown on FIG. 7 so that rigid insert 82 comes out of the buckle 7 and legs 721 and 722 collapse and lock the tensioned band 6. The operator pushes lever 86 down and cuts the strap. The spring 83 returns lever 86 in the initial position making the apparatus ready for the next cycle.

The FIG. 8 shows a top view of an example of the apparatus of FIG. 6 facilitating the method on the current patent application. In the embodiment of FIGS. 4 and 8, rigid insert 82 includes two prongs, which are each located on a different side on band 6 so as not to interfere with band 6 sliding over legs 721 and 722 and band 6 is tightened.

The method and apparatus of FIGS. 3-8 may be used with all of the same objects that the tensioning device of FIG. 1 may be used (in addition to working better than the tensioning device of FIG. 1 for small, round, and irregularly shaped objects). Also, the method and apparatus works with buckles that do not have legs 711 and 712. For example, buckle 7 may have leg 712 without leg 711 and band 6 may be sewn around leg 712 to hold band 63 and 64 to the buckle and/or band 6 may be directly or indirectly coupled to the side of the buckle having leg 711 in another way.

ALTERNATIVES AND EXTENSIONS

Each embodiment disclosed herein may be used or otherwise combined with any of the other embodiments disclosed. Any element of any embodiment may be used in any embodiment.

Although the invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention. In addition, modifications may be made without departing from the essential teachings of the invention. 

1. A method comprising: inserting a rigid insert between a pair of legs of a buckle; placing a first end of a band into a tensioning device, such that the band is held firmly by the tensioning device for tensioning the band, a first portion of the band wrapping around an object, the first portion of the band being located between the first end of the band and a second end of the band, a second portion of the band being wrapped around a pair of legs of the buckle, the second portion of the band being located between the first end of the band and the first portion of the band, and the second end of the band being coupled to the buckle; tensioning the band by pulling on the first end of the band, via the tensioning device; the tensioning of the band causing the band to push the pair of legs onto the rigid insert preventing the pair of legs from closing on the band; the tensioning of the band tightening the first portion of the band, which is wrapped around the object, removing slack from the band; removing the rigid insert from between the first pair of legs allowing the first pair of legs to close; and as a result of the tension in the band and removing the rigid insert, first two legs moving towards one another.
 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising after removing the rigid insert further tensioning the band with the tensioning device, causing the pair of legs to further tighten and close on the band.
 3. The method of claim 1, the removing of the rigid insert including at least pushing on a lever that is pivotably mounted, via a pin, on a surface that is fixed in location with respect to the tensioning device and is pivotably connected to the rigid insert; the pushing on the lever being performed on a first side of the pin, the pushing on the level on the first side of the pin causing a portion of the lever on the second side of the pin to pull the rigid insert away from the buckle.
 4. The method of claim 1, the pair of legs being a first pair of legs, the buckle having a second pair of legs; the tensioning of the band, while the rigid insert is still between the first pair of legs, causing the band to push the second pair of legs towards one another causing the second pair of legs to tend to close upon the second end of the band.
 5. The method of claim 4, the causing the second pair of legs to tend to close upon the second end of the band causes the second pair of legs to close tightly on the second end of the band holding the second end of the band firmly closed.
 6. The method of claim 1, the rigid insert having two prongs separated from one another a distance that is wide enough for placing the band between the prongs, and the rigid insert being pivotably attached to a lever, and the lever being pivotally attached to a rigid frame, which is rigidly fixed in position with respect to the tensioning device; and the removing of the rigid insert including at least pushing on the lever, which pivots on the frame; the pivoting of the lever on the frame pulling the rigid insert out from between the first pair of legs.
 7. A method comprising: wrapping a band around an object; looping a portion of the band around a pair of legs of a buckle, the portion of the band being between a first end of the band a second end of the band; inserting a rigid insert between the pair of legs of the buckle; placing the first end of a band into a tensioning device, such that the first end of the band is held firmly by the tensioning device for tensioning the band; tensioning the band by pulling on the first end of the band, via the tensioning device; the tensioning of the band causing the band to push the first pair of legs onto the rigid insert; the tensioning of the band tightening the band around the object, and removing slack from the band; removing the rigid insert from between the pair of legs allowing the pair of legs to close; and as result of the tension in the band and removing the rigid insert, first two legs moving towards one another.
 8. The method of claim 7, the tensioning of the band causing the band to push the a second pair of legs towards one another, causing the second pair of legs to tend to close upon the second end of the band while the insert is still between the first pair of legs.
 9. A system comprising a tensioning device; and a rigid insert for holding the two legs of a buckle open while a band is being tensioned that pushes the two legs together; the rigid insert having two prongs separated from one another for placing the band between the prongs; and a lever pivotably attached to the rigid insert at a first end and the lever being pivotably mounted on a rigid frame.
 10. The system of claim 6, the width between the two prongs being larger than the width of the two prongs.
 11. The system of claim 6, the frame having a guide piece below the rigid insert upon which the rigid insert rests.
 12. The system of claim 6, further comprising spring mechanically biasing the rigid insert to protrude outward away from the frame. 